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« on: Thursday 10 April 25 09:31 BST (UK) »
Remember that it is Microsoft's support for bug fixes which ends later this year. Windows will carry on working. Your software will continue to work and be updated. Anti-virus software (including Windows Defender) will continue to work and be updated.
As long as you avoid "iffy" websites, and don't open tempting email attachments, you are about as likely to become infected with malware as you are now.
The actual hardware REQUIREMENTS for Windows 11 are a lot less than MS is demanding. It needs a 64-bit processor which supports particular machine instructions which became "normal" IIRC in about 2005. You will also need a minimum of 4GB memory otherwise Win11 will struggle. A solid-state drive is highly recommended to get decent speed from any modern OS.
Most of the requirements bypass instructions currently out there involve doing a clean install of Windows 11. For many, this is not a problem. Copy all those photos and other documents to somewhere safe, install Win11 and then copy the stuff back. THEN try to remember all those passwords your browser had stored for you.
If you have a load of software installed and you wish to retain it, have a look at "Flyby11".
The file server version of Windows does not demand the hardware that ordinary users "need" to purchase. Flyby11 cons the installer that it is dealing with the file server version, and it then carries out an in-place upgrade, retaining applications and settings.
I have used it a few times and found it to be simple to use and with good results.
Check everything carefully after any upgrade. One laptop failed to deal with the trackpad correctly when it awoke from sleep mode. If you have problems, you have a few days to revert to the previous version of Windows.